SHOE DOG

Description

In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.

Young, searching, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and launched a company with one simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the trunk of his Plymouth Valiant, Knight grossed eight thousand dollars that first year, 1963. Today, Nike’s annual sales top $30 billion. In this age of start-ups, Knight’s Nike is the gold standard, and its swoosh is more than a logo. A symbol of grace and greatness, it’s one of the few icons instantly recognized in every corner of the world.

But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always been a mystery. Now, in a memoir that’s surprising, humble, unfiltered, funny, and beautifully crafted, he tells his story at last. It all begins with a classic crossroads moment. Twenty-four years old, backpacking through Asia and Europe and Africa, wrestling with life’s Great Questions, Knight decides the unconventional path is the only one for him. Rather than work for a big corporation, he will create something all his own, something new, dynamic, different. Knight details the many terrifying risks he encountered along the way, the crushing setbacks, the ruthless competitors, the countless doubters and haters and hostile bankers—as well as his many thrilling triumphs and narrow escapes. Above all, he recalls the foundational relationships that formed the heart and soul of Nike, with his former track coach, the irascible and charismatic Bill Bowerman, and with his first employees, a ragtag group of misfits and savants who quickly became a band of swoosh-crazed brothers.

Together, harnessing the electrifying power of a bold vision and a shared belief in the redemptive, transformative power of sports, they created a brand, and a culture, that changed everything.

Key Selling Points:

* The first-ever memoir of the legendary co-founder of Nike Inc, Phil Knight.

* Globally, this will be the biggest business memoir of the year

* Phil Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always been an enigma – until now

* A book about business, sport, friendship and working together

* A MAJOR PUBLISHING EVENT:Combining the entrepreneurial insight of Jack Welch, the transcendent candor and storytelling of Andre Agassi’s Open and the monumental culture relevance of Steve Jobs, Phil Knight’s memoir is the riveting story of self-made man a singular vision who built a globe spanning, revolution-ary brand. Simply put , this is huge book.

* A CLASSIC AMERICAN STORY:Knight started from nothing, took an unconventional path, endured early setbacks and hardship, and ultimately achieved greatness. At the heart of this book, is a ragtag group of misfits who couldn’t get anyone to bankroll them or believe in them in the 60s. But they believed in the each other and they believed in themselves and they built a brand that changed the world. This is a spectacular story. A great ride

* FORMIDABLE MEDIA ROLLOUT:Knight rarely grants interviews and is often reticent in public.He has never shared the story of Nike and his life until Now.We expect this memoire to generate massive media inter-est from all major outlets, including business media and sports magazines

* PIONEERING COMPANY :Nike was the first company of its kind to put athlete first. From its technical innovations in shoe design and apparel, to its commitment to athlete endorsers through innovative partnerships to its bold ad campaigns and inspired slogan like “ Just Do It” Nike forever changed the landscape of America business and athletes.In 2014 The Nike was valued at $90 billion , making it the most valuable brand in the sports business. This book gives unmatched insight into how the company was built.

* HUGE TENT:There is a huge audience for this book: sports fans, three-days-a week business travelers, run-ners, readers who like stories about relationships, anyone who dreams of launching a startup, dads, grads, and baby boomers: this book captures a generational spirits, the wild moment that shaped our era today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

One of the world’s most influential business executives, Phil Knight is the founder of NIKE, Inc. He served as CEO of the company from 1964 to 2004 and continues to this day as Board Chairman. He lives in Oregon with his wife Penny